17 July 2024
The awards celebrate the commitment by Ollie Pike from Pike Studio and the Methodist Church to offer a sustainable and creative garden respectful of the environment. Amongst the key materials used are cork cladding, recycled stone pavers, recycled timber furniture, woven willow sculptures metal hedging, herbaceous plants and good pollinator species.
The design of ‘This Garden Isn’t Finished Without You’ focuses on sustainability and climate resilience to match the Methodist Church’s ambitious environmental aims. The garden features climate resilient drought-tolerant planting along with sustainable materials, such as a cork-clad wall, recycled colourful stone paving and willow sculptures.
“It is a great privilege to get a gold medal. And the collaboration between the Methodist Church and everyone involved has paid off. To create a beautiful and sustainable garden that has involved the local Methodist community has been amazing. It will be amazing to share it with the public at the show, and with the community at Mobberly where it will live on into the future. Amazingly, the RHS is recognising that we have pushed the boundaries of sustainability in show gardens and gardens as a whole, in aiming to achieve Net Zero by 2030.”
Ollie Pike from Pike Studio
The garden aims to be net zero by 2030 by sequestering more carbon than it has produced. The use of vibrant climate-resilient plants and net zero regenerative materials shows that there is a bright future for sustainable and mindful gardening.
After the flower show, the garden will then be relocated to nearby Mobberley Methodist Church reducing its carbon footprint even further, achieving net zero by 2030 when it will have absorbed more carbon than its creation produced.
“We are so chuffed and proud that Ollie’s beautiful garden won a gold medal, as well as the Environmental Innovation Award. It’s so fantastic that inclusion, diversity and environmentalism - three values that are so central to what the Methodist Church is all about - are being showcased in this fabulous - and award-winning – garden.”
Holly Adams, Evangelism and Contemporary Culture Officer at the Methodist ChurchThe garden will replace a disused tarmac car park and lawn. Increasing the cooling effects and air quality in the area, and increasing the permeability of the site (reducing surface water runoff) as well as a significant biodiversity increase for the site and surrounding area.